For a second straight day, Washington soared into the triple digits, setting a record high. Its high of 102 Monday followed Sunday’s 101, at the midpoint of a summer that has been the hottest on record to date.
The ongoing heat wave — the third of the summer — is perhaps the most intense and dangerous.
After reaching 96 on Saturday, 101 on Sunday and 102 on Monday, Washington is forecast to reach the upper 90s to 100s on Tuesday and Wednesday as well. With high humidity, the heat index is expected to reach 105 to 110 degrees, prompting the National Weather Service to put most of the region under excessive-heat warnings through Tuesday.
The heat and humidity “will significantly increase the potential for heat-related illnesses, particularly for those working or participating in outdoor activities,” the Weather Service said. “Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circ*mstances.”
No alerts are posted yet for Wednesday, when the heat index could be near 105.
Here are the predicted highs through Wednesday and the records that could be threatened:
- Tuesday: Forecast high of 101; record is 104 from 1988.
- Wednesday: Forecast high of 97; record is 102 from 1980.
Nighttime lows dropping to only around 80 degrees could also challenge records.
While this heat wave looks to be shorter than previous ones this summer, it could very well end up as the hottest and most dangerous. Much of the region is forecast to reach a Level 4 on the Weather Service’s HeatRisk scale — which rates the danger of the heat to human health — through Tuesday. That is the highest level, described as “rare and/or long-duration extreme heat with little to no overnight relief.”
Climate Central’s Climate Shift Index for Monday indicated that human-caused climate change has made such heat five times as likely.
Portions of the region could still be at a Level 4 HeatRisk on Wednesday while others drop to a Level 3, described as “major” heat that “affects anyone without effective cooling and/or adequate hydration.”
If D.C. hits 100 degrees or higher again Tuesday and Wednesday, it will have reached triple digits on four consecutive days. That would tie the longest such streak on record, matching heat waves in 1930 and 2012. There’s a chance, though, that more clouds keep Wednesday’s temperature below 100.
A cold front coming through late Wednesday, bringing the week’s best chance of showers and thunderstorms, should drop highs back to the 80s to near 90 from Thursday through Saturday. Highs could climb back into the 90s on Sunday through the middle of next week, but as of now it looks like the more tolerable low to mid-90s, rather than the oppressive mid-90s to near 100.
How hot has it been?
The first, and longest, heat wave of the summer spanned 11 days, reaching 90 degrees or higher from June 17 to 27. The average high temperature during the hottest portion of that stretch, June 21 to 26, was 96.3.
During a seven-day stretch from July 5 to last Thursday, each day’s high temperature reached 95 or higher, with an average high of 97.4.
After a one-day break in the heat, with a high of 83 on Friday, D.C. started its most recent streak of highs at or above 90 on Saturday. Here are some of the scorching statistics from this sizzling D.C. summer:
- With an average daily temperature of 81.3, this summer is the hottest on record to date, surpassing 80.9 in 2010.
- The 27 days at or above 90 degrees thus far is 10 above average and more like the number typically expected by the first week of August.
- D.C. has reached 98 or higher on nine days. The most on record in a summer was 13 days in 1930, followed by 11 in 2012.
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- D.C. set calendar-day record highs of 101 on Sunday and 102 on Monday, and 99 on June 23.
- The six excessive-heat warnings issued by the Weather Service so far this July are the most on record in a month since at least 2006, according statistics from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet. An excessive-heat warning is issued when heat indexes near or above 110 are expected.
- D.C.’s highest heat index so far this summer is 111.
- Five days have had lows of 80 or higher, tied for the second-most on record in a summer. The maximum in a year was seven, in both 2016 and 2011.
FAQs
Saturday's 87 came on the 94th anniversary of the date the temperature in Washington reached the fearsome figure of 106 degrees, the highest reading ever recorded in the District. That 106 degree temperature of July 20 in 1930 had been reached in Washington once before; the first time was on Aug. 6, 1918.
When was the hottest summer in US history? ›
The "Dust Bowl" years of 1930-36 brought some of the hottest summers on record to the United States, especially across the Plains, Upper Midwest and Great Lake States.
What are the hottest summers on record? ›
Based on those records, the summer of 2023 was clearly the hottest in the past 2,000 years. Last summer's temperature proved to be at least 0.5 degree C above that of C.E.246—a time that was the hottest summer before direct measurements began and long before human-caused warming emerged.
What is DC's coldest month? ›
When was the last time DC hit 100 degrees? ›
The District had gone nearly eight years without reaching 100 until June 22, when it again touched the century mark. This summer, only about half over, has seen four days reach the triple digits.
What is the hottest time of year in Washington DC? ›
June-August
The months between June and August are the busiest and hottest of the year in D.C. High average temperatures in the upper 80s are coupled with sticky humidity.
Will 2024 summer be hotter than 2023? ›
NOAA's latest projections gave 2024 a 61% chance of beating 2023 as the warmest year on record. Summer 2023 was Earth's hottest on record (since 1850) and likely the hottest in the last 2,000 years.
Is 2024 going to be the hottest year? ›
"I now estimate that there is an approximately 95% chance that 2024 beats 2023 to be the warmest year since global surface temperature records began in the mid-1800s," said Zeke Hausfather, a research scientist at U.S. non-profit Berkeley Earth.
What is the hottest day in US history? ›
It is no surprise that the hottest temperatures in the U.S. have been recorded in the Desert Southwest. In fact, the highest temperature recorded in California, 134 degrees, is also the current hottest air temperature on record on Earth and was measured in Death Valley, California, on July 10, 1913.
How hot will it be in summer 2024? ›
Summer Forecast Headlines
Overall, June-July-August temperatures are forecast to be warmer than the 1991-2020 long-term average during Summer 2024. Difference to the 30-year average could be close to +1.0-1.5°C, suggesting some heatwaves are possible – greatest chance of these most likely in July, followed by August.
LONDON, July 23 (Reuters) - Sunday, July 21 was the hottest day ever recorded, according to preliminary data from the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service, which has tracked such global weather patterns since 1940.
What was the worst heatwave in human history? ›
July 1743 heatwave in China - Beijing reached 44.4 °C (111.9 °F) on July 25, higher than any modern records. 11,400 people reportedly died. July 1757 heatwave – Europe, hottest summer in Europe since 1540 and until 2003. 1896 Eastern North America heat wave – killed 1,500 people in August 1896.
What is the record high in DC? ›
D.C. has seen only 12 days with temperatures of 104 degrees or higher. The record high remains 106 degrees, set in 1918 and matched in 1930.
Is DC a good place to live? ›
A: You can have a great quality of life in D.C., with access to a variety of top-notch jobs, museums, historical activities, and more. Washington. D.C., is truly the land of opportunity, encompassing an area surrounded by all walks of life.
What's the average temperature of a human? ›
The average normal body temperature is generally accepted as 98.6°F (37°C). Some studies have shown that the "normal" body temperature can have a wide range, from 97°F (36.1°C) to 99°F (37.2°C). A temperature over 100.4°F (38°C) most often means you have a fever caused by an infection or illness.
Is this the hottest summer in DC? ›
An assessment of various extreme temperature benchmarks to date shows this year near the top every list: 29 days at 90 degrees or higher, tied for the seventh-most. There were only 32 during all of last year. 17 days at 95 degrees or higher, second-most behind 2012's 18.
What is the coldest temperature ever recorded in Washington DC? ›
13, 1899, in Tallahassee. This occurred during an Arctic outbreak in which numerous all-time record low temperatures were set, including Washington, D.C. (15 degrees below zero); Atlanta, (minus 9); and Dallas (minus 8).
What is the hottest city in America? ›
Death Valley, California, recorded a temperature of 134 degrees Fahrenheit on July 10, 1913. More than a century later, that temperature remains the highest ever recorded in the United States.
What is the hottest day ever in Earth? ›
The current official highest registered air temperature on Earth is 56.7 °C (134.1 °F), recorded on 10 July 1913 at Furnace Creek Ranch, in Death Valley in the United States.
